jaw clenching

[gettingfedupnow]

does anyone get really bad jaw clenching? i often wake up with an aching jaw and sometimes headaches. sometimes without realising it im clenching my jaw so tightly and have to tell myself to stop but it often comes back. please someone say its anxiaty and not something else and im not the only one getting this.

[PanchoGoz]

Oh yeah jaw clenching is a stress symtom and can become troublesome. You should tell a dentist or doctor and they should refer you to a hospital. I have TMD, a jaw joint problem, and was given a "splint" to take the stress off my jaw overnight after my private dentist referred me to the hospital (the doctor, orthadontist and NHS dentist ignored my complaints). Take some painkillers for now. Its not really harmful to your health though, just painful!

[BunnyMazonas]

Ooh, yes, do I ever! It comes and goes, but some days it's all I can do to stopmyself gurning as I walk down the street! I sometimes deal with it by sticking my tongue between my teeth - stops the teeth from clenching and makes me aware of it if it starts.

[mary3]

Yeah i get it bad jaw clenching too. At the moment it is so bad that im begining to worry there is more too it (guess thats the health anxiety talking!). My symptoms at the moment include:

headache
pressure behind my nose
pressure across my eyebrows
sensitive teeth
dulled sense of taste
general achyness of teeth
horrible taste at back of my mouth
feels like sinus problems but nose isnt blocked or runny
'dry' feeling when sniffing
dull ear ache/ itchyness
off balance feelings
eyes sensitive
visual disturbances

can you relate to this, or anyone else? a dentist told me 7 years ago that i clench my teeth which leaves indentations on my tongue, those indentations have never left so i guess i have been clenching my jaw for 7 years. Do you think that i am having all these problems due to the damage i have caused or does this sound like TMJ?

Sorry i have pinched your thread. Jaw clenching is definatly caused by anxiety X

[gettingfedupnow]

hey no worries, i get a stiff neck aswell as the jaw thing, especially down one side which is odd

[fairyclairy]

I get this alot too.... practically everyday!

I get tension headaches and pains around my eyes and just above my eyebrows, i also get very bad jaw ache because of tensing/clenching my muscles in my jaw... and like you, i sometimes dont realising im clenching it, it just seems normal to me now that when i am clenching my jaw, i dont realise.

Iv also found when driving around, il suddenly notice that my hands are clenching the steering wheel soooooo tightly, then when i realise and take my hand off the wheel... it absolutly kills to straighten out... and again, i do that without realising!

Definate stress/anxiety symptom im afraid xx

[Pudding]

Hi, I get this badly too. I am suffering with it so much today that I've made a dental appointment in case I have a bad tooth. I get pains all around my jaw and facial pain too. All my teeth ache and feel sensitive and I get a sort of nerve pain in my cheeks from it. It's horrid, I've suffered on and off now for about 15 years, about the same time as I've had this bad anxiety but have had a long spell with no pain. I wear a bite splint at night but when it's bad it doesn't seem to help much. I really feel for you but it's good to know there are others out there too. Feel free to message me anytime you want a companion in pain.

All the best
Fran